Leviticus 16

God commandeth the high Priest to go into the Sanctuary for to make a general expiation, v. 1, etc. with an Instruction when and wherewith he should do the same, 3. and in what order of offering and of administering the other Ceremonies, which are set down here at large, 6. whereunto is annexed a precept touching the duty of the people in general, 29. with the conclusion of the Chapter, 34.

1. And the LORD spoke to Moseh, after that the two sons of Aaron were dead: [viz. Nadab and Abihu, whom the LORD had put to death, for having appeared before him with strange fire. See above chapter 10. 1, 2.] when they approached before the face of the LORD, and died.

2. The LORD then said to Moseh; Speak unto thy brother Aaron, that he do not go at all times into the Holy; [Heb. Holiness, that which is holy, holy place. Understand here and below verse 3. and chapter 17. 27. the Holy of Holies, or the most holy place, the innermost part of the Tabernacle, dinstinguished from the fore-part, commonly called the Holy, see Exodus 26:33, 34. Heb. 9 2, 3] within the Vail, [see above chapter 4. on verse 6.] before the Expiation-cover, [see Exodus 25:17, 18, etc.] that is upon the Ark, that he die not; for I appear in a cloud upon the Expiation-cover, [viz. ordinarily, and in a visible manner, which ought to stir up an holy fear and awfulness in you. Compare Exodus 3. verse 5. and 1 Kings 8. verse 11, 12. and the Annotations]

3. Herewith shall Aaron go into that holy (place); with a Bullock, a young one [i.e. with the blood of a slain bullock, as appeareth below verse 14. Heb. the son of a Bull] for a sin-offering, and a Ram for a burnt-offering.

4. He shall put on the holy linen coat, [Heb. the linen coat of holiness, and so in the sequel, garments of holiness; ; i.e. holy garments, so called, as being ordained for an holy use. So likewise Exodus 28:2. in which sense other things also called are holy, Exodus 29:31. and 30. 25. and 22. 4. 2 Chron. 5. 5.] and a linen drawer shall be upon his flesh, and he shall gird himself with a linen girdle, and cover (himself) with the linen hat: these are holy garments, [Understand by these here mentioned, the rest also, as they registered at large, Exodus 28:4, etc. and compare verse 43.] therefore he shall bath his flesh with water, when he shall put them on.

5. And from the Congregation of the children of Israel, he shall take two he-goats for a sin-offering: and one Ram for a burnt-offering.

6. After that Aaron shall offer the bullock of the sin-offering, that shall be for him: and shall make expiation for himself, and for his house. [i.e. family. See Gen. 7. on verse 3.]

7. He shall likewise take both the he-goats: and he shall put (or, place) them before the face of the LORD, at the door of the Tent of the Congregation.

8. And Aaron shall cast the lots, viz. to know which of them the LORD would have slain for a sin-offering, and which was to be let go free into the wilderness, or open field] one lot for the LORD, and one lot for the passing he-goat. [Heb. Azazel. This word, (as most conceive) being compounded of two, whereof the one signifieth a he-goat, the other, to go, or pass away, it seemeth to imply either the living he-goat, which was let loose for to go away; or, the place whither he was turned lose. See this word likewise below, verse 10. and 26.]

9. Then shall Aaron bring near the he-goat on which the lot of the LORD shall be come; and shall make him for a sin-offering.

10. But the sin-offering, on which the lot shall be come, to be a passing-he-goat, shall be put alive before the face of the LORD, to make expiation by him: [or, with, or upon him] that they may let him forth toward the wilderness, as a passing he-goat. [or, to Azazel, i.e. to the place so called]

11. Then Aaron shall bring near the bullock of the sin-offering, which shall be for himself, and make expiation for himself, and for his house: and shall slay the bullock of the sin-offering, which shall be for himself.

12. He shall likewise take a Censer full [Heb. the fullness of the Censer; so in the sequel, the fullness of the hands, i.e. the hands full, and fullness of the house, for the house full, Numbers 22:18. Item, the fullness of a plate, or bowl; for a bowful, Judges 6:38.] of fiery coals [Heb. coals of fire, i.e. such as were well kindled, fiery, and red hot; so 2 Sam. 22. 13. Ezekiel 1:13. Romans 12:20.] from the Altar, from before the face of the LORD, and his hands [Heb. fists] full of incense of fragrant spices, beaten small: [See the description of this incense, Exodus 30:34, 35, 38.] and he shall carry it within Vaal. [See above on verse 2.]

13. And he shall lay that incense upon the fire before the face of the LORD: that the mist [Heb. cloud] of incense, may cover the Expiation-cover, which is upon the Testimony. [That thereby the Priest may be hindered to see the Token of the Divine presence] and that he may not die.

14. And he shall take the blood of the bullock, and shall sprinkle with his finger, upon the expiation-cover East-ward: [Heb. upon the face of the Expiation; and so in the sequel here in this verse. This sprinkling was made but once: the other made on the place before the Expiation-cover, was done seven times. See above chapter 4. 6.] and before that expiation-cover he shall sprinkle of that blood with his finger seven times.

15. After that, shall he slay the he-goat of the sin-offering, which shall be for the people; and shall carry his blood within the Vaal: and shall do with his blood like as he did with the blood of the bullock, and shall sprinkle the same upon the expiation-cover, and before the expiation-cover.

16. Thus shall he make expiation for the holy (place), [what it is to make expiation for a place, that is showed here, and verse 19. viz. by sacrifices to purify and to un-sin the same, from the Ceremonial uncleanesses or defilements, which may be on, or have been committed in them. Compare chapter 8. 15. and chapter 14. 49, 52, 53. and here below, verse 19, 20.] by reason of the pollutions of the children of Israel, and by reason of their transgressions, according to all their sins: and thus shall he do at the Tent of the Congregation, which dwelleth with them, in the midst of their uncleannesses. [i.e. is and abideth among them, which have many impurities upon them.]

17. And there shall be no man in the Tent of the congregation, when he [viz. the high Priest] shall go in, for to make expiation in the holy (place), [understand here the holy of holies, as above verse 2.] until he shall come forth: thus shall he make expiation for himself, and for his house, and for all the Congregation of Israel.

18. After that, he shall come forth to the Altar, which is before the face of the LORD, [Understand the Altar of the burnt-offering, which is said to be before the face of the LORD, for the reasons above mentioned, chapter 1. on verse 3. thither he was to come forth, viz. out of the first or fore-part of the Tabernacle, as the same is to be gathered out of the former verse, where the Priests coming forth out of the innermost part of the Tabernacle is spoken of] and make expiation for the same: and he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the he-goat, and do it. [Heb. give it] round about the horns of the Altar.

19. And he shall sprinkle thereupon with his finger seven times: and he shall cleanse the same, [See above on verse 16. and below on verse 20.] and hallow (it) from the uncleannesses of the children of Israel.

20. Now when he shall have made an end of expiation the Holy (place), and Tent of the Congregation, and the Altar: then he shall bring near [Oth. offer] that living he-goat.

21. And Aaron shall lay [See above chapter 1. on verse 4.] both his hands upon the head of the living he-goat, and shall confess thereupon, all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, according to all their sins: and he shall lay them upon the head of the he-goat, and shall let (him) forth by the hand of a man at hand [Heb. a timely (one), i.e. by a certain fit man at hand, or having time and leisure, or used to attend at such a time for such a purpose and service] towards the wilderness.

22. Thus shall that he-goat bear away upon him all their iniquities into a separated land; [Heb. land of separation, i.e. dis-inhabited, and cut off from the society and conversation of men] and he [viz. that man which was at hand] shall let him out into the wilderness.

23. After that, Aaron shall come into the Tent of the Congregation, and shall put off the linen garments, which he had put on, when he went into the holy (place) and he shall leave them there.

24. And he shall bath his flesh with water, [See above chapter 6. on verse 28.] in the holy place, [see above chapter 6. verse 16. 26. and chapter 10. on verse 13.] and put on his (own) clothes: then he shall go forth, and prepare his burnt-offering, and the burnt-offering of the people, and make expiation for him (self) and for the people.

25. Also he shall kindle that fat of the sin-offering upon the Altar. [viz. the Altar of burnt-offerings; for upon the Altar the Incense it was forbidden to offer such sacrifices, Exodus 30:9.]

26. And he that shall have let forth the he-goat, which was a passing-he-goat, [See above on verse 8.] shall wash his clothes, and bath his flesh with water; and after that, he shall come into the Camp.

27. But the bullock of the sin-offering, and the he-goat of the sin-offering, whose blood is brought in to make expiation in the Holy (place), [see above on verse 2.] they shall carry forth without the camp: but their skins, their flesh, and their dung, and they shall burn with fire.

28. He now that burnt the same, shall wash his clothes, and bath his flesh with water: and after that he shall come into the Camp.

29. And (this) shall be unto you for an everlasting Institution; [Heb. institution of eternity, and so below verse 31, 34. see Gen. 13. on verse 13.] In the seventh month [called 1 Kings 8:2. Ethanim, and now by the Jews Tisri, agreeing for the most part with our September] on the Tenth of the month shall ye humble your souls, [or, afflict, trouble, grieve them, i.e. earnestly and seriously humble yourselves before the LORD, by confessing of your sins, by fasting, by prayer, by abstaining from all bodily comforts and delights. See this phrase likewise below verse 31. Psalms 35:13. Isaiah 58:3. 5. Daniel 10:12. By the word Souls here, are especially understood the bodies , as Psalms 16:10. or your persons, i.e. both souls and bodies together, as Genesis 12:5.] and do no work, in-born nor stranger, that sojourneth in the midst of you.

30. For on that day he [viz. the high Priest] shall make expiation for you , [see above chapter 1. on verse 4] for to cleanse you: from all your sins shall ye be cleansed before the face of the LORD.

31. That shall be a Sabbath of rest for you, that ye may humble your souls: it is everlasting institution. [See above on verse 29.]

32. And the Priest, [i.e. the high Priest, see above chapter 4. on verse 3.] whom one shall have anointed and filled his hand, [see above chapter 7. on verse 37.] for to administer the Priestly office for his father, shall make the expiation: when he shall have put on the linen garments, the holy garments: [garments of holiness, as above verse 4.]

33. Then shall he expiate the holy Sanctuary, [Heb. the Sanctuary of holiness] and the Tent of the Congregation, and the Altar, he shall expiate: as also for the Priests, and for all the people of the Congregation shall he make expiation.

34. And this shall be for an everlasting institution unto you, to make expiation for the children of Israel, once a year, from all their sins: and they did, according as Moseh had commanded.